1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to stents of improved configuration which incorporate spiral articulations which unwind to form bracing structures or scaffolding upon expansion.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Stents are radially expandable endoprosthesis which are typically intravascular implants capable of being implanted transluminally and enlarged radially after being introduced percutaneously. They have also been implanted in urinary tracts and bile ducts. They are used to reinforce body vessels and to prevent restenosis following angioplasty in the vascular system. They may be self-expanding or expanded by an internal radial force, such as when mounted on a balloon.
In the past, stents have assumed many configurations and been made of many materials, including metals and plastic. Ordinary metals such as stainless steel have been used as have shape memory metals such as nitinol and the like. Stents have also been made of biodegradable plastic materials. They have been formed from wire, tube stock, etc.